Improvement in fire-escapes



C. HEROLD.

Improvement in Fire-Escapes.

NO. 132,073. Patentedv Oct. 8,1872.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL HEROLD, lOll PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-ESCAPES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 132,073, dated October 8, 1872.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL HEROLD, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to that class of fireescapes consisting in the main of a long iiexible tube usually made of strong canvas, which in case of re is thrown from the window, so that its lower end may be held and manipulated by persons on the street, While its upper end is in some way secured to the window-frame, permitting `persons in upper stories of burning buildings to safely and rapidly descend to the street after having sent down all articles of furniture which could be passed through the tube. My improvement consists in the employment with such a tube,

having an'opening formed near the end at-.

tached to the anchoring-frame, of a ropelad der fastened upon the outside of the tube to serve as a means of ascent for the firemen, who can enter the room above through the lateral opening in the tube.

The tube Aisv made of strong canvas, as

usual, and provided at one end with a couple of loops, a a, by which to take hold with the hands for the purpose both of holding the tube in the desired inclination and of regulating the rapidity of the descent through it of persons and articles of furniture, the latter eect being accomplished by twisting the tube to check the descent, which is necessary when persons are lowering themselves from high buildings. The other end of the tube is firmly secured to a rectangular or otherwise-formed frame, B, made of strong bars of wood or other suitable material. The bars intersect each other so as to form a square frame to which to secure the end of the tube, 'but extend beyond such intersections a considerable distance. The frame is made with reference to the ordinary size of the lower sash of a Window, being sufficiently larger so as to form a safe anchor by extending a considerable distance upon either side of c the opening formed by raising or removing the lower sash. Near this frame a lateral opening, C, is c ut in the canvas tube, and from that a rope or other exible ladder, D, reaches to the lower end of the tube, being secured thereto at suitable intervals in any preferred manner, and serving the purpose already stated.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters' Patent, is

The combination of the fire-escape A B, having a lateral opening, C, and exible ladder B upon the outside thereof, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name to this specification in'the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CARL HEROLD.

Witnesses D. P. HoLLoWAY, B. EDw. J. EILs. 

